Q. Can a persimmon tree be pruned to a more desirable shape? Mine bears an abundance of fruit, but the upper branches are getting beyond reach from a ladder.

A. You really shouldn't try to reshape a persimmon tree to fit your harvesting needs. You can do that with peaches and plums if you start when they're brand new trees, but persimmons don't lend themselves nearly as well to pruning to direct their growth. It would try to regrow to its former shape and size.

Q. How do I eliminate these weeds? (See photo attached.)

A. Your photo is of dollarweed. It's a common lawn weed in Texas, particularly when it's grown in wet soils. You can eliminate it by hand-digging, although that's tedious, because the plant can regenerate from even tiny parts of its old roots. You can use a broadleafed weedkiller spray (containing 2,4-D), but you would want to add one drop of liquid dishwashing detergent to help hold the fine spray of the herbicide on its glossy leaves.

Be patient. It will take 14 to 20 days to see results, and another application might be necessary. But it will work.

Q. I am having a lot of trouble with wild berry vines coming up in my flowerbeds. How can I get rid of them without hurting my flowers?

A. No weedkiller is going to be that specific, so you're going to have to dig them by hand.

It's not as difficult (or painful) as that might sound. Wear leather gloves and use a hand tool known as a dandelion digger to move the vines around until you find where they come out of the ground. Usually you'll be able to trace several stems back to one root system.

Slide the digger into the soil and sever the stem an inch or two below the ground. It won't come back.

The other option would be to apply a broadleafed weedkiller directly to the plants' leaves with a foam rubber paintbrush. However, foam rubber brushes and berry vines don't exactly match up too well.

Q. What can I use to stop slugs on my hosta plants? They are completely devouring them.

A. There are several ways to stop snails and slugs. One is to apply a slug/snail bait. These materials are attractive to the pests, but they then kill them. You can also place a shallow pan of beer beneath the plants. The snails and slugs will be attracted to its smell, but they'll drown in it. Actually, dry dog food does the same thing. Put a handful of the dog food into a pan or bowl, then add water until you have a puddle. Again, they will drown in it. Your third option (my preference) is to use Sevin dust. Cover all of the plants' leaves, also the soil beneath them. Rinse the insecticide off after a day or two.

Q. I have a pineapple plant that I have been growing for a year or more. How can I encourage it to form fruit?

A. Let me catch everyone up to your speed. You can grow a pineapple from the top of a fresh pineapple fruit. Let it air-dry for a day or two after you cut it, then plant it into a 10-inch pot filled with lightweight potting soil. Keep it moist, and it will root and start growing.

Eventually it will be 2 feet tall and wide. It will be quite prickly, as well.

Pineapples are bromeliads, and they will come into flower following exposure to ethylene gas. Apples give off ethylene as they decay, so put an apple core into the crown of the pineapple plant. Cover it with several layers of dry cleaner's plastic and tape the plastic around the bottom of the pot to make it airtight. Put the plant in a bright spot, but keep it out of direct sunlight.

As the apple decays, it will give off ethylene, and that will usually cause the plant to flower and form a single small fruit. The entire process will take a couple of months.

Q. I have a large American elm that seems to be splitting down its trunk. There is a crack developing. Why does that happen, and do I need to worry? Do trees in such situations ever grow back together?

A. That may be due to the weight of the branches involved. They may be pulling down under the weight of their leaves (especially during rainstorms, when water adds to the weight) and during windstorms. That wood will not grow back together. If the tree is to be saved, it probably will need to be cabled and all-thread rods will probably need to be inserted through its trunk. This is most definitely a job for a certified arborist.